Samantha Schultz

Samantha Schultz is a fantastic singer songwriter from Canada who music I really dug when I heard it, so naturally an interview was a must. So read and check out her amazing music.

http://www.samanthaschultzmusic.com

1. How does it feel to be graduating from Berklee College of Music?

Graduating from Berklee College of Music is a completely unreal feeling. In my last semester of high school, I wasn’t planning to go to college or university at all – I wanted to just jump into my music career. Thanks to my best friend who made me audition and to an incredible scholarship donor (Gary Slaight), I have had the opportunity to go learn and grow in an incredibly nurturing and creative environment. The things that I have absorbed and the people that I have had the chance to get to know have completely changed my life for the better. I would never trade these past four years for anything…it’s insane to finally call myself an alumnus of Berklee College of Music!!

2. Are you happy how both albums have been received?

I am incredibly happy with how my two albums have been received. I released my debut album, Both Sides, in 2007. Being a primarily acoustic act prior to its release, I was nervous about how some of the band tracks would be taken by my listening audience. Thanks to my amazing producer (Mike Lent), engineer (Jerry Woolsey), and all of the incredibly talented musicians, my first release was a total success with a balanced mix of full band tracks, acoustic tracks, and songs with partial accompaniment; this element played a huge role in picking the title for the album, as it showcased “both sides” of my music. Before I released it to the public, I brought the CD to a lot of the amazing people in the Edmonton folk community who had helped me get my start in music at open stages to listen to it. It was wonderful to have them and the folk community receive it with open arms. Beyond that, my online audience was extremely satisfied with the product as well.

I released my second CD in July of 2011 with the same producer and engineer, but with a whole new arsenal of musicians. Having had a couple years at Berklee under my belt, I knew that my writing and singing had improved and it was time to release a new album (it had also been four years since I released my first CD). These songs were more chordally complex and the lyrics were more metaphoric and thought through. Just like my first album, I had a mix of full band songs, acoustic songs, and songs with partial accompaniment. Thankfully, I am blessed with a beautiful listening audience and they received the album very well.

3. What was the inspiration behind them?

Both Sides has a lot songs about my family, my friends at the time, and songs that I wrote from other peoples’ perspectives. With Ink To Paper, I still wanted to make sure that I paid homage to my folk roots, but I knew that it was important to show my growth over the four years since my debut album release. Major themes in the album (that I didn’t realize until after) were love, light, and nature.

4. What do you hope graduating will do for your music career?

Graduating from Berklee College of Music is a complete honor. I hope that being a graduate will allow me to go out into the music industry and show people that I am a hard-working individual with something new to bring to the table. I am hoping that the title of “Berklee College of Music Alumnus” will elevate my career to the next level. Something that is really cool about Berklee is that there is a massive alumni base across the globe; I am now a part of that community and it is an extremely humbling feeling, but simultaneously, a very cool feeling knowing that I am now one of these alumni. I know that graduating is a huge accomplishment and I want to go out into the world and do right by the school’s name.

5. Who has been the greatest help for your music so far?

I think that there are multiple influences in a musician’s life that helps their evolvement personally and artistically. For me, I know that the relationships in my life have been the greatest help in terms of my music: my relationship with my family; my friends; my colleagues; my teachers; and my relationships in love. Without these life experiences, the things that each of these people have taught me, and with the way each of them have affected me, I know that I would not be the person I am today.

6. Do you think the internet has made it harder for artists to stand out?

I think the use of the internet has made it both easier and harder to stand out. I believe it’s harder for a musician to stand out because everyone has access to infinite marketing and recording resources, allowing everyone to put out product, build a website, promote through social media, etc. At the same time, these resources allow musicians to stand out as an individual as well. For those that know how to properly use these resources in combination with true talent, this allows musicians to rise above the multitudes that are trying to achieve the same dream.

7. What does it mean to connect with your fans?

Connecting with my listening audience is vital. I make an effort to try to answer every single email, message, comment, tweet, etc. that I receive. Making sure that your audience knows that they are appreciated is so important and necessary when it comes to the survival of your career. As one of my former professors said: “Your audience doesn’t need you to survive – you need THEM to survive.” Truer words have never been spoken. After all, if you don’t have an audience to sing to, you’re only singing to yourself.

8. What has been your favorite show to date?

Wow, that is a seriously tough question! I have been fortunate to have a series of really exciting and amazing gigs under my belt, so I’ll give you some of my favorites:

– My very first paid performance at the age of 13, at the Full Moon Folk Club in Edmonton, AB. I opened for a beautiful lady by the name of Ruthie Foster, from Austin, TX. I was so nervous, but the audience, Ms. Foster, and my family that had showed up, gave me the confidence to give as best of a show as I could and my performance was well received. I could never forget my first opening act (huge thanks to Peter Pirquet – owner of the folk club at the time – for asking me!).

– My very first performance with my sister. I performed solo for years before my sister joined me on percussion (djembe, cajon, and auxiliary percussion) and harmonies. She has been performing with me now for around five or six years, and I am so grateful to have my sis on stage with me. It’s nothing short of fun, but we make sure we give the best performance that we can every time.

– My first performance at the 2005 Edmonton Folk Music Festival as a “tweener.” The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has played such a pivotal role in my life; thanks to the amazing music director, Terry Wickham, I have had the chance to take part in this festival as a performer multiple times. I was given a “tweener” spot at the age of 14 and I was ecstatic (a “tweener” is someone who performs in between the main acts on main stage while the different band stage plots are torn down and set up). I felt so at home on that stage was grateful to have the opportunity to perform at such a prestigious festival multiple times. This festival is as close to home as you can get for me!

– Participating in the 2012 Close Encounters Festival: Helsinki & St. Petersburg. I was asked by Berklee to take part in the festival with my trio (vox and guitar; percussion; and electric bass), where we performed multiple shows and had the opportunity to write and get to know other participating students from Finland, Russia, and France.

– Participating in the 2013 Berklee Graduation Commencement Concert. I was asked to participate in the concert by Berklee faculty member, Ken Zambello, to sing Carole King’s “It’s Too Late,” and part of Willie Nelson’s “Pancho & Lefty.” What was cool about the concert was that both Carole and Willie were in attendance at the concert as honorary doctorates. According to various faculty and friends that witnessed this, Ms. King gave me a standing ovation and was tearing up at my rendition of her song. I have never been more humbled or blessed in my life to hear great news like that. To top it off, I was given a shout-out in an online article from RollingStone.com about my performance. That weekend was the biggest blessing and best way to end my four years at Berklee.

– Performing with Kris Kristofferson in Northampton, MA. Kris Kristofferson was a guest of Willie Nelson’s at the Berklee Commencement Concert, and I ended up meeting him and his wife, Lisa, after the show. They were extremely kind and welcoming and not knowing what to expect, I gave Lisa a card. The next evening, I received an email from her, asking if I wanted to sing with Kris at a show of his in Northampton, MA. Of course, I said yes and went on to have one of the most incredible experience of my life – performing with the legendary Kris Kristofferson. They are two beautiful people who shared so much wisdom with unadulterated kindness. I will never forget what they did for me.

9. What does 2013 mean for you?

2013 is a big transition year for me. I’m making the move from being in school 24/7 to dedicating my all that time, effort, and attention to bringing my career to the next level or the next big thing. Being from Canada, I’m hoping to get a visa approved that will let me work in the USA for a year, specifically in Los Angeles, CA, where I have a lot of connections and resources to draw upon. This year will be dedicated to making the move from a full-time student to a full-time working musician.

10. What is next for yourself?

In terms of the near future, besides making the move to Los Angeles, I am trying to constantly improve my songwriting and guitar playing skills by writing and playing every day. I’m reaching a point where I know that another album is in the near future for me and I want to have the best material possible to include on my next release.

My dream has always been to write, record, and tour, but ultimately, I want to create and share music that people can relate to. I find that songwriters have a responsibility to create and write songs that speak of the emotions that every day people feel – to let someone out there know that they’re not alone and that someone knows what they’re going through. I cannot tell you how rewarding it has been in the past to receive heart-breaking stories from my listeners that end in happiness because of a song I wrote. I want to get out there in the world and let as many people as possible know that there is someone who is aware of the feelings and happenings in the world – that I’m paying attention to the people that make up this global community and not just writing for me. I am looking forward to the day where I can make that impact, but it must start small. So I will continue to work hard, take on challenges as they come, and dedicate myself to something that I have been in love with since I was a small girl: creating and sharing music.